[Stoves] About LPG and India. Re: [stove] Ujjwala explained

Stovers,

Kirk Smith has shared his latest book-chapter.   Links to it are below.

I make several comments, mostly with my focus on “solid biomass fuel
stoves”:

1.  The content about LPG fuel and stoves in India is quite worthwhile. 
The chapter is based on 8 solid peer-reviewed writings that are listed
in the Endnotes (all written by Smith, often with co-authors.)   For
that reason, much of what is in the book chapter is very similar to
prevous writings.  So this chapter brings numerous segments together
nicely.

2.  One paragraph (middle of the fourth page of the .pdf document) is
about biomass stoves:   It says:

“None of  this [about LPG] has, however, affected the budget of the
renewable energy ministry, which still runs the national biomass and
biogas stove programs.  These programmes should still be encouraged,but
perhaps now be better focused on the very poorest and more remote
populations that will not be reached by LPG in the next decade.” …
*[That is an important concession that Smith clearly makes in many of
his writings.  And he goes on to say.]*

…”These people would still benefit from more efficient stoves that at
least lower pollution exposure to some extent.”

…”Unfortunately, however, no biomass stove on the market today is
nearly as reliably clean  as gas fuels and, thus, cannot be proposed yet
as a health measure if gas is available.”

I do note the qualifier words  “… if gas is available.”   The rest of
the chapter says that LPG or PNG (piped natural gas) is coming.

But would Smith say that sentence without the final four words? Will he
acknowledge that there are very clean burning stoves that burn biomass?

This is VERY recent writing, so it is interpreted as Kirk Smith’s
current positon about the Advanced Modern Clean  Cooking Solutions
(“MACCS”) that include the Woodgas / Micro-gasifier stoves.

I do not want a fight.   I want Kirk Smith to openly and
enthusiastically acknowledge the current existence and the increasing
progress of VERY CLEAN burning biomass stoves.   I have recently written
about the need for recognition of the clean burning biomass stoves, with
copies reaching Smith and Dean  Still and GACC leaders who will be
speaking at the coming GACC Forum.

Let’s try to get this clarified beforehand so that we do not need to
force discussion in the question and answer times at the Forum
presentations.   Tht conversation is on-going at the Stoves Listserv.  
Please share this message with everyone.

************  Now back to the discussion of Smith’s chapter. *************

3.   On page 5 of the .pdf file are these words relating to the sources
and abundance of LPG:
“…. will be used somewhere no matter what — autos, petrochemicals,
or being flared, are the other main uses besides households.  Why not
ustilize as much as possible to the highest social value use — cooking
for the poor?”

Responses:
A.  Do not flare it.   That is pure waste.

B.  Use LPG for autos because biomass is nowhere close to being as good
for vehicle fuel.   Unlimited demand for LPG as a vehicle fuel if the
vehicles are equipped for LPG.  Distribution problems are reduced
because the vehicles go the the distribution stations. But why might
this not appeal?   One reason is that LPG would then compete with
gasoline and diesel fuels, and that would be competition WITHIN the
interests of Big Oil.   So, therefore, it is more  business if they
direct LPG to the poor people.

C.  LPG is NOT financially friendly to poor people.  Yes, GIVE them an
LPG stove and full tank, and then expect them to forever make payments
for refills.   Not a bad deal for the oil marketing companies (OMCs), of
which there are three big ones in India, with the Government of India 
(GoI) owning more than 50% of each.

D.  Sure the LPG and PNG are clean burning (the health arguement), but
so are the MACCS that include biogas and alcohol and solar and electric
and the “Woodgas from Biomass”.   And of those, the Woodgas / gasifiers
can actually use locally grown biomass of many types, precisely the same
fuels that those poor families are currently using in their smoky stoves
that are causing indoor and outdoor pollution.  Solid biomass is not a
dirty fuel.  Fuels need to be in the correct stoves where they are
cleanly combusted.

 4.  On page 7 of the .pdf document, Smith comments regarding getting
the LPG into “…the poorest and remotest parts of the country… where
the density of connections is lower than distributors have enjoyed up to
now.  Use of women’s self-help groups, rural cooperatives and other
existing  ogranizaitons will be needed…”  THAT comment is equally
valid (or even  more valid) regarding the introduction of the CLEAN
BURNING biomass stoves.  And in those areas, the biomass fuels are
local, and do not require trucks and then the manual carrying of metal
LPG cylinders.

5.  On page 8, there is discussion of the government expenditure of US$
1.2 Billion for the PMUY programme for free LPG connections to 50
million households.  “Indeed, it would seem that the programme can soon
claim to be a social investment, not a subsidy.  Both come from the
taxpayer, but the former has a much different connotation when focused
on the poor.”

The same could be said if the stoves were the clean burning gasifier
stoves.  No, stop, wait.   it is not the same.   The biomass gasifiers
can claim carbon credits and can actually PAY BACK the investment,   So
the government might only be a guarantor of loans that will be paid back
to lenders such as the Asian Develpment Bank.

Please note that carbon credits with gasifier stoves are ALREADY being
earned in India (Deganga case study in West Bengal).   Without any money
from the government (and therefore slower than it needs to be.).   Also,
note that the gasifier stoves are in areas within reach of the LPG
distribution activities and the free LPG equipment.   The people will
decide what they want to use.

6.  Finally, I am NOT against the LPG / PMUY programme.   But I do want
recognition and appropriate support (organizational and financial) for
the expansion of the gasifier stove efforts in India.   Smith’s chapter
virtually ignores the viable alternative / co-solution offered by the
gasifier cookstoves.   The issue is not about starting the gasifier
efforts.   Efforts are already underway, with proven results.   The
issue is to be supportive of the much more rapid expansion of those
gasifier stove efforts.

May progress be made.

Paul

Doc / Dr TLUD / Prof. Paul S. Anderson, PhD
Email: psanders@ilstu.edu
Skype: paultlud Phone: +1-309-452-7072
Website: www.drtlud.com

On 9/27/2017 12:04 PM, Kirk Smith wrote:
>
> Below is the first para of Kirk R. Smith, 2017, /The Indian LPG
> Programmes: Globally Pioneering Initiatives/, Chapter 5 in Bibek
> Debroy & Ashok Malik, eds, _India@70; Modi@3.5 <mailto:Modi@3.5>_,
>
> Wisdom Tree, New Delhi, 211 pp.
>
> The full chapter can be downloaded from the website at the bottom.
>
(and here: www.kirkrsmith.org/
or directly at:
www.kirkrsmith.org/publications/2017/9/27/the-indian-lpg-p